Xaltian Sights
by Silverceil
Summary: In exchange for the Elrics' attempt at human transmutation, the Gate sends Ed into a far away land with no memories of his past. Seven years later, Roy pays a visit to an eastern town in Amestris, having heard word of an alchemic genius residing the area.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Welcome to Xaltian Sights! I've always wanted to write a story where Roy and Ed meet under different circumstances than the canon-verse, so here goes!

**Disclaimer: **Hope I don't need to repeat this every chapter, but I don't own FMA. Otherwise, there'd be more *cough* action :D

**Title:** Xaltian Sights

**By: **Silverceil

**Beta:** AkizukiSakura

**Manga: **Full Metal Alchemist

**Rating:**T

**Summary:** The Gate took Edward in exchange for the Elric brothers' attempt at human transmutation, sending the boy into a far away land with no memories of his past. Now seven years later, Brigadier General Roy Mustang pays a visit to an eastern town in Amestris, having heard word of an alchemic genius residing the area. Eventual RoyEd

**Updated on 12/31/2011**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 1:<span>

**Military Headquarters in Central City**

Brigadier General Roy Mustang watched the ornate handle of the office clock move at an excruciatingly slow pace, marking each passing second left before he could call it a day. Turning his head away to take a break from the constant staring, he glanced at the sunshine streaming through his window and noted the beautiful weather outside. At least _something_ about his day was going well.

Looking back up again at the old grandfather clock settled against the right wall of his office, he waited impatiently for the minute hand to move again. On his desk was a large pile of paperwork due for the next day, but he would much rather dwindle the last minutes of his shift away whilst staring at the intricate clock decorating his wall. After all, it beat signing another document and reading through the mind numbing details of damage control procedures. While keeping track of military activities was important, he sometimes wondered if Hawkeye was not purposely adding inane reports into his pile to punish him for years of laziness.

When the clock finally struck three, he stood up and snatched his notebook off his desk. He then reached out and grabbed a pen before making his way towards his coat rack. Pursing his lips as he slipped his coat on, he played out his options in his head and made a decision.

"Captain Hawkeye!" he barked suddenly, breaking the relative silent of the room.

The office door promptly swung open to admit the blond captain. She saluted smartly and regarded him with a curious gleam in her hazel eyes. "Yes sir?"

Leaning against his desk, Roy gazed down at his subordinate with an air of authority. At the same time, he made sure to stand in front of the pile of unfinished work he had yet to look at and cleared his throat. He watched Hawkeye straighten her pose, noting the subtle frown forming on her face. He knew she was on to him and he needed to act fast.

"Hawkeye, I have a favor to ask of you," he said carefully, his fingers slightly clutching the side of his desk behind his back. Shifting a little to a more comfortable position, he masked his nervousness behind the calm look he had perfected over the years.

The woman raised a neat eyebrow at him, but did not comment and Roy almost smiled at how well his plan was going. He had been working with Riza for quite a few years now and trying to come up with new excuses to ditch work was becoming nearly impossible. He could tell by the skeptical look on her face that she was suspicious, but the fact that he rarely asked for favors tipped the scales just a little.

Mustang stretched the silence for a few more moments and watched the woman's frown deepen with each passing second. Finally deciding that it was now or never, he abruptly turned towards his desk and grabbed the large pile of unsigned documents. Before Hawkeye could open her mouth to speak, he dropped the papers into her arms and watched as she struggled to get a hold of them without spilling the sheets all over the floor.

Satisfied with his distraction plan, he quickly strode towards the door. "I'm taking a vacation. No longer than a week or two," he announced with all the courage he could muster as he reached for the doorknob. "I'm leaving the office in your hands. Have fun!"

Ignoring the protests from his captain, he stepped out of the room, only to freeze as a bullet buried itself in the wall next to his face. He knew a warning shot when he saw one, but it didn't stop him from sprinting toward the door at top speed.

"Sir!" Hawkeye yelled, quickening her pace. "Come back this instant!"

Roy barely noticed everyone in the outer office ducking for cover in his hasty dash for the exit, though he jumped noticeably as a second shot rang through the room. He glanced over his shoulder at Hawkeye, who bore paperwork in one hand and her favorite pistol in the other. Without waiting for her to ditch the pile on Havoc's desk, he yanked the door shut behind him, cutting off Hawkeye's outraged shout.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

**Train station in Youswell (Eastern City of Amestris)**

The sun was high in the sky, its warm rays shining down upon the battered coal-mining town that was Youswell and brightening its dark corners. The citizens milling about in the streets were smiling for the first time in months despite their recent troubles with the tyrannical rule of an army official. Lieutenant Yoki had uncaringly stripped the people of their land and possessions in order to line his own pockets. Now, however, the town was once again prospering and the people owed it all to a single person.

The change had happened almost overnight when a mysterious young man with startling gold eyes and blond hair entered the town and caused quite a bit of mayhem for the lieutenant. It was rumored that he had fought off the entire force of the lieutenant's guards within seconds and that his skills were of such an impressive level that he had won the land back from Yoki with a single glare…and perhaps some threatening. Yes, probably a lot of threatening.

While rumors could not be entirely trusted, it was true that Lieutenant Yoki had indeed reported similar facts back to Central, all the while losing his rank and reputation; not that he really had one to begin with. Hence, like wildfire spreading through arid forests, the news had made its way across the country in a matter of days and soon, most had heard of an alchemic genius residing in the eastern parts of Amestris.

At the present time, however, said prodigy was standing at the old train station in Youswell and running his hand through the long strands of his golden hair as he scanned the area for the information center. It wasn't a surprise that the place was as ragged and dusty as the rest of the town, but it only made searching for things all the harder. Finally, the blond found his destination and made his way towards the stand.

"Excuse me?" Edward asked, glancing down at the lady in the ticket booth. Her eyes were fixed on her book with such intensity that he wondered how the pages did not instantly combust from the way she stared at them. Drumming his fingers against the wooden counter in front of him, he waited for a few more seconds before trying again.

"May I ask when the next train for New Optain arrives?" he said politely in his light tenor, a friendly smile gracing his lips. He made sure to speak slightly louder than last time, but kept his voice at a volume proper for conversation.

Edward watched with carefully concealed amusement as the clerk blinked in surprise. She had obviously been well engrossed in her book. The woman's eyes flickered quickly from his hair to his eyes before settling on his lips as her cheeks took on a tinge of pink.

"Y-Yes?" she stammered as she sat up a little straighter. Ed raised a single eyebrow at her. Had she not heard him? The clerk rubbed the back of her neck and looked down, clearly embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry…I didn't hear your question."

The woman fumbled with her sleeves as she spoke and stole a few shy glances at him before gazing back down again. Edward frowned in confusion at her strange behavior, but refrained from commenting. It wasn't like he was mad at her, even though he _was_ almost glaring at her for making him repeat himself.

"When does the next train to New Optain arrive?" he finally asked in a calm tone, keeping his demeanor perfectly diplomatic and neutral. Despite her illogical, fidgety behavior, he wanted to be as gracious as possible in case he really was intimidating her. He hadn't bothered changing out of his traditional xaltian robes, so maybe she was adverse to them. He had figured that the diversity in clothing had been broad enough in Amestris to not require a change in wardrobe just yet, but he was probably wrong. Come to think of it, not many people wore long red coats with heavy metallic embroidery that sparkled in the sunlight, especially not in this warm weather. He had drawn a number of curious glances from people here and then, but hadn't paid them much attention.

Meanwhile, the woman grabbed a clipboard from her desk and searched through the list of cities starting with the letter N, finally finding the right one. "I-In another hour, sir," she informed him timidly, raising her head to stare with admiring eyes at him some more.

"Thank you," Ed replied, offering her another sweet smile before reaching into his pocket and paying for his ticket. He didn't linger much longer after collecting the slip of paper and soon he made his way to a nearby bench.

Plopping his bag down, he reached his hand in and fished out his alchemy book. As he took a seat next to his bag, he flicked open the book, searched for his bookmark, and leaned his back against the hard wooden wall of the train station. His few days in Youswell had been quite hectic and he was glad to be finally leaving the town in order to achieve his goals.

Glancing down at the yellowing pages of his old book, he heaved a small sigh and scanned through the familiar text. Soon he would arrive at New Optain and hopefully find better books. He might need access to military libraries, but he would find a way.

He always did.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

**New Optain**

The sound of the loud whistle signaled his arrival to the eastern town. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Mustang languidly stretched his tired muscles and grabbed his suitcase.

Peeking out his window, he was greeted with the sight of a busy town. The big streets were filled to the brim with people making their way to their destinations, some in a hurry and others walking at a more leisurely pace. Yawning, the general stepped off of the train and made his way to a nearby inn. He'd get himself some coffee afterwards; he needed the boost.

The bells over the door chimed to announce his entrance as he stepped over the threshold and walked towards the counter. He took in his surroundings as he walked, noting the pleasant air to the place and the comfortable leather couches in the lounge. He concluded that the inn might have been small but it had a nice, welcoming feeling to its design which Mustang approved of entirely.

Reaching the front desk, he spotted an employee seemingly too busy calculating something to notice his arrival. He cleared his throat softly to catch her attention.

"Excuse me. I'd like a room for the next three days," he began courteously, flashing the girl a winning smile. That always got the ladies.

"Wait a second," was the reply. The woman did not bother to look up as she scanned through her book. Spotting an available room, she pulled a drawer open and grabbed the keys, leaving them on the counter. "Room 21," she said dismissively as she went back to calculating.

"…thank you," said Roy, quirking an eyebrow at her. Were his skills rusty? The man shook his head. He'd have none of that. Resting an arm against the table, he glanced at the tag on his key. A smirk crossed his features as he noticed something that gave him the perfect excuse to try again. "I'm afraid you've given me the wrong keys," he pointed out amicably, purposely pitching his voice an octave lower. The effect was a sultry almost-purr that had never failed him before.

"What? I'm pretty su-" she began before her voice stopped dead as she glanced up and stared wide-eyed at the gorgeous man before her. Her breath hitched. Quickly looking down at the keys, she saw her mistake. "I-I'm sorry," she took them back as her face flushed. "I gave you key 12."

Roy smirked. This was too easy. "It's fine. You were…" he leaned in, "distracted."

Her face turned a deeper shade of red as she handed him the right keys, her heart fluttering when she felt his hand touch her own. Seen the flushed expression on her face, Roy expertly let his fingers linger a while longer, feeling her skin heat up before gazing into her soft brown eyes with a smirk on his lips.

"...hurry things up?" Roy heard a smooth voice complain and glanced over his shoulder at the attractive young man standing behind him. From the blonde's crossed arms and tapping foot, he'd been there a while and had been held up by Roy's flirting. The expression on his face clearly indicated that his patience was swiftly running thin.

Roy did not like being interrupted, but the stranger was right. '_Oh well. Maybe next time,'_ he thought, only a little disappointed. Heaving a small sigh, he thanked the girl and grabbed the suitcase that he had set down beside his feet. As he turned to leave, Roy glanced once more at the young blond and was mildly amused to note that the youth had wasted no time in moving up to the counter.

The man was of average height and structure, but his piercing gold eyes shone with an underlying determination that matched his own. Slowing his pace down, Roy took the time to look the blond over, noting the startling wheat-color of his hair and the length of his long braid that ran down his back and ended at his enticing hips. He wore a scarlet red coat with intricate metallic patterns decorating each side and the overall design bore a slight resemblance to the traditional xingese robes he'd seen at international meetings before.

Unconsciously licking his lips, Roy realized that he had made his way to the stairs and almost felt disappointed. Shaking the thought away, he chanced a last glance at the golden-haired stranger and began walking up to his room.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

New Optain was graced with a cloudless sky that day, allowing the bright light of the sun to generously soak every building in town, illuminating the busy roads as merchants took advantage of the clear weather to gleefully advertise their products.

Edward strolled down a large street and watched as people gathered around the more entertaining sellers who showed off their colorful merchandise. He kept his pace steady but took his time taking in the sights before him with a serene expression on his face, appreciating every moment. Back home, he would not have had such an opportunity, for he would have either been under heavy disguise or rushed by a crowd of excited, or sometimes angry, citizens. In Amestris, however, no one knew him and, hence, not many seemed to take notice of him in the busy crowd once he had dressed himself in more casual clothes.

Stopping in front of a street vendor selling exotic fruits and vegetables of all shapes and sizes, his eyes fell upon a familiar crimson fruit. The last time he had seen one was back home and the thought brought back memories of his childhood; of when he would sneak into the kitchens with Reyhan to where the servants would bring in freshly bought fruits from the trading posts.

Heaving a small sigh, he almost felt nostalgic about having left the young prince behind in order to accomplish his quest in Amestris, though he knew Reyhan didn't mind. In any case, he had promised to write him about his adventures, so surely he would be hearing from his friend once he settled down someplace near a large enough library.

So lost in his somewhat melancholy thoughts, Edward failed to notice the fruit merchant approaching him and jumped when the man happily slapped the blond on the back.

"Interested in the apples, young man?" the old man boomed with a large grin on his face.

Ed straightened out his clothes before turning towards the merchant and giving him an almost pained smile. "Yes," he replied, his voice slightly strained as he tried to rub his sore back. Pulling out a wallet from his pocket, he paid the man and left with his apple as quickly as he could, fearing a second merrily administered slap.

Finally far away from the marketplace, he bit into his purchase and enjoyed the sweet, crispy taste. Now that he was practically alone, he let himself lean against a nearby wall to consider his day.

Despite having explored most places around New Optain, he had yet to see a library or bookstore and rather suspected that he might not find one after all. The maps he had consulted had been pretty old and it was obvious that they hadn't been updated at all since the town's foundation. That would certainly explain why, whenever he arrived at a location, the area had either been replaced by someone's house or turned into a marketplace like the one he had just strolled through.

Shaking his head in slight disappointment, he finished his apple and dropped the core in a nearby garbage can before glancing around the new part of town he'd wandered into. Noticing a classy little bar at the corner of the street, he decided to try one last place before leaving and made his way towards the door. Entering the small saloon, he marched towards the stools in front of the only person there: a bored-looking bartender.

The man looked up from drying wine glasses and gave him a small smile. "Welcome, what can I get for you?"

"I'll take a beer," answered Edward casually, returning the polite smile and taking a seat. He watched as the man grabbed a glass off the back counter and opened the tap, swinging the cup with practiced ease towards the flowing drink before the first drop had the time to drip onto the floor. Finally serving Edward his glass, he went back to cleaning.

The blond eyed the beer, having only heard of the drink from his friends before and decided to take a healthy swing of it before he could overanalyze the situation. As the cold liquid ran down his throat, he felt a slight tingling sensation bubble inside his mouth before tasting the lingering bitterness of the drink. Quickly casting a glance at the bartender, who had his back turned, he subtly coughed into his fist a few times.

Feeling a little better, he cleared his throat and was not too surprised when the bartender turned towards him with a questioning look on his face. At least the man hadn't seen him practically choke on the beer, he thought grimly before speaking up. "Is it normal that there are no libraries in New Optain?" Edward asked, nonchalantly striking up a conversation. The bartender stopped wiping and a moment passed before a small grin curled his lips. _'Strange,' _the blond thought, but kept his comments to himself.

"There is one," the man answered in a deep baritone, "though I'm not surprised you don't know it." The man's grin broadened as he finished his sentence, showing off what remained of his yellowing teeth.

Flinching slightly at the man's disturbing grin, Edward let a small frown mare his otherwise placid face. "Where?" he wanted to know. He had been searching all day, how could he have missed it? He was sure he had walked through all the marked places on the map, unless…

"It's in the red light district," replied the bartender. "Not many people read in New Optain, except for the usual school textbooks. The only other books you'd find in our library are for adults only."

Edward felt like slamming his forehead against the counter. He knew that small towns like New Optain probably didn't have much to read, but he had hoped to find decent books before the next train tomorrow morning to Central. Grabbing his glass in frustration, he downed the beer, forgetting about his initial reaction to it. He coughed his way out of the bar after paying his tab and, behind all the wheezing and deep breaths, thanked the man for the small enlightenment.

Closing the door behind him, he felt his shoulders slightly slump in exhaustion as he looked up at the darkening sky. It seemed it was a waste of time searching for this library, but at least he enjoyed his trip around town. Practically dragging his feet back to the inn, he figured he might as well sleep in now and catch the early train to Central.

He entered the inn and heard the chiming of the bells above the door greet him, as well as alert everyone lounging around the room of his arrival. Choosing to ignore the few turning heads in his direction, he made his way towards the stairs before bumping into something hard and stumbling back a few steps. Looking up, he saw a tall man with a stern expression on his face.

"Sorry about that," he apologized, rubbing his nose where he had come into collision with the stranger. The man shot him an angry look and Edward blinked. Before the blond could comment on the rudeness, the man swiftly turned and walked away, completely ignoring his presence as Edward stared at his retreating back. A tinge of anger sparked through him, but he chose not to dwell on it. In any case, he was leaving tomorrow. Shaking his head in disapproval, he walked up the stairs.

On his way down the hallway, he saw a dark haired man walking in the same direction. Wracking his brain for when he had seen the guy before, he continued to stroll forward before finally remembering the man; he was the one flirting with the inn girl and taking an awfully long time doing so. The latter part of his mental statement brought some of the irritation from the morning back with a sweet vengeance.

Looking at him now, he could see that the guy was actually quite handsome. His dark features contrasted beautifully with his pale skin and a blue gleam seemed to shine through his onyx eyes, giving him a mysterious allure when he chose to use it to his advantage. Ed discretely raked his eyes over the other man, noting his lean figure and the outline of muscles against the man's clothes. '_No wonder this guy is such a flirt_,' Edward thought. He actually had something to work with, unlike _some_ people he knew. Actually, he kind of reminded him of Reyhan: tall, confident and a raging womanizer. Rolling his eyes at the comparison of these so-called qualities, he pulled his keys out.

"Hey, you're that young man from this morning," said the man, apparently noticing Ed for the first time.

Edward twitched at the word _young_. "Who are you calling short?" he fumed, outrage coating his voice as he settled with glaring daggers at the taller man. He had just gone through a day of unproductive searching and he was low on patience.

The flirt's dark eyes widened in surprise. "No one?" he offered, clearly confused.

Finally hearing the click of the lock sliding open, Edward stuffed his keys back into his pockets and threw the other guy an apprehensive look before slamming the door in his face.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

Left in the empty hallway, Roy raised an eyebrow, completely baffled by the blond's reaction. _'What just happened?'_ he wondered, glancing over at his door and noticing they were, in a sense, neighbors. '_So much for friendly greetings'_, he thought sarcastically. He would probably be better off leaving room twenty alone for the next two days. It was really a pity, though, because Roy would have liked to spend some time getting to know the attractive blond. Unfortunately it was not his priority at the moment.

According to Hughes, the alchemist he was searching for had been spotted in Youswell. '_Maybe I should just head on over there after a last check in New Optain'_, he mused. Entering his room, he dropped his jacket onto his bed as he walked into the small bathroom. A quick shower and he'd hit the hay for the night. '_No dates for a week'_, he told himself. It was crucial to find his target, as this might just be his next ticket for a promotion.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

Edward tucked himself warmly into his blankets as he shifted to the right, turning the lamp off with a pull of the string. Everything was so quiet at night and it felt strange to him. At the palace there'd be the shuffling of maids, the switching of guards or, from time to time, Reyhan sneaking up on him. It was never quite noiseless back home but he liked it that way. All this silence made him feel uneasy, lonelier than he really was.

Sighing into his covers, he pulled the blankets up to his head, reveling in the warmth of an actual bed after spending a few days in Youswell, with its straw-stuffed mattresses, and the uncomfortable train benches. Shifting around, trying to find a comfortable position, he settled on his left side and let a small yawn escape his lips. Finally about to close his eyes, a sudden shifting of light caught his attention. There was a small space between the floor and the bottom of the door to his room. When he focused on it, he could just make out what appeared to be someone's feet. There were people lingering in the hallway.

Now, it certainly wasn't strange for people to walk around, he reasoned in his mind, quickly thinking through the possibilities. This was an inn, and maybe the people here liked sneaking out for late night parties; who knew? But something bothered him about the person: it had vanished as quickly as it appeared. If someone was simply going out for some air, why would their steps abruptly disappear? Why would they even bother to keep undercover?

Tossing his blankets out of the way, he slowly slipped out of bed, making the smallest amount of noise he possibly could. After long years of dealing with assassination attempts, he'd learned to trust his instincts. Gate knows he'd survived more than once thanks to them, and they were positively screaming at him right now. The mysterious person was undeniably a trained killer.

Quickly, he silently scooped up his pack, a gold-trimmed bag that bore his meager possessions, and tossed it swiftly over his shoulder as he planned his next actions. If this was an assassin sent from home, he would simply need to escape, nothing more complicated than that. Nodding at his decision, he suddenly froze at the sound of his neighbor's door creaking open. Though it was barely audible, he heard it anyway. They did not call him gifted for nothing.

His thoughts, so orderly a moment ago, jumbled to a screeching halt. Why was the assassin entering the other room? Was this not an attempt upon _his_ life?

The sudden image of the dark haired man flashed before his eyes as he heard the chime of a blade being slid from its sheath. What to do now?

Throwing a quick glance at his window, Edward swiftly rushed out of his room.

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><p><strong>AN:** Reviews keep this author happy and motivated :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** A big thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate it!

Also, I've decided to reply to all reviews because I like the interaction and getting to know what you guys think. I've seen some authors do this and I find that it's a nice idea. Hence, feel free to ask me questions or suggest ideas and I'll be answering them all :)

Replies:

A Single Fragile Rose: Wow, I'm glad you liked it! I hope I live up to your expectations and ja ne to you too~

XionAmmy: Haha, ok, I'll admit that cliffhanger was a little mean of me...but please don't die yet! There's still so much more till the end *evil grin*

Nariko-Kyoko: No problem, bro. Voila! (umm, the section below the replies lol)

Pixie101: So happy you like it! And no worries, I'm definitely still writing :)

KYAAA D: I know, right? :P

Joruni: Wait no more! Here comes chapter 2 :D

Dustbunny: Chapter 2! I feel like my responses are getting shorter and shorter...so here: more RoyEd action? Maybe something to do with sharing a same space?

Mashfan4life: Yeah, that library is definitely somewhere one must sneak in one day...if only Ed was more of a pervert *sigh* :)

**Beta:** AkizukiSakura

**Updated on 21/01/2012**

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span>

Roy shifted under his blankets, not quite asleep despite the late hour. He had never been a deep sleeper to begin with and long years of military service had taught him to keep his guard up at all times. It was one of the most basic survival skills to master, and he had never quite been able to break the habit. It also caused him to feel tired during the day, but it was a small price to pay for safety.

Finally settling on his back, Roy blinked up at the ceiling, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room despite the dim light seeping through the cracks of the locked door and the thin curtains draped over the only window. He could feel a faint dreariness pulling him deeper into the creaking mattress of the small inn but his mind stayed sharp and alert, making his need to sleep take a back seat to the thoughts running through his head.

He always took the time before going to sleep to meticulously analyze his day, examining each event as he planned his next course of action in the most effective way he could devise. Tonight was to be no different than his usual assessments, but a tinge of doubt soon shrouded his mind as his thoughts eventually drifted, despite his best efforts at concentration, to his attractive blond neighbor.

It was not uncommon for Roy to spare a few moments to reflect upon his interactions with people who interested him, but the action was not normal when he had more important matters to deal with.

Shaking his head, Roy leisurely lifted his hand to his brow and slowly rubbed circles with his thumb and forefinger to release the tension. It had been quite a while since anyone had caught his attention, especially after such few encounters. While it was not productive to let his mind wander down this path, he finally gave up on mulling over military plans and relaxed his shoulders, burying his face into the thin pillow he rest upon.

Soon, soft-looking strands of wheat-gold hair filled his thoughts as his mind drifted to the hint of amber he remembered seeing, shading the molten gold irises of the blond's heated gaze. Roy knew that sleep was most likely hazing his thoughts and exaggerating his observations, but he let himself take a few more moments to consider the undeniable attraction he had felt towards the young man. It was not only the sharp intelligence gleaming through the blond's bright eyes that intrigued him, but also the promise of challenge he excluded and the natural confidence in his stance.

Roy could feel that the blond was most likely not from Amestris, or had at least not spent most of his life in these military-ruled lands. Even if he _didn't_ wear obviously foreign robes proudly around his well-built frame, the way he held himself and the subtle way his lips curled when he smiled spoke of a rare masculine grace seldom found among the common folks of the country.

Amestrians tended to be rougher, having spent their lives under the rule of a military regime that strove under a methodical and precise way of life. The stranger, however, moved with a natural fluidity to his steps that did not correspond with anything Roy had seen before. While he could make out the signs of combat training under each of the blond's careful strides, it lacked the stiffness that marked a man with years of military practice. Roy frowned thoughtfully at the ceiling.

It was not to say that the blond did not mask it well, but Roy was well trained and his observant eyes had quickly caught on to the subtle differences. He had also heard, during his brief conservation with the young man, a hint of an accent coat his words as he spoke. Wherever he was from, Roy was sure he had studied the Amestrian language quite well and had no doubt that the blond would have been able to work out the small quirks had he lived in Amestris a little longer. Thus, Roy concluded that his attractive neighbor must have come to Amestris fairly recently; perhaps as soon as a few days ago.

Heaving a small sigh, Roy tried to curb his thoughts. Dwelling on the foreigner, however physically attractive or mentally intriguing he may be, was not going to bring him any closer to falling asleep.

As the night stretched on, drowsiness finally caught up with him and a small yawn escaped Roy's lips as he rolled his shoulders and turned to his right side, his head facing the closed door of his room. Just as his lashes began to flutter shut, a slight shift in the light made him pause and carefully turn his gaze towards the entrance. His brow creased to a frown as he strained his ears to listen for any subtle sounds, but he heard nothing. Glancing towards his nightstand, he could make out the contours of his gloves and decided to reach out for them just as his door creaked open.

Before he could lunge towards his gloves or wonder how anyone had gotten past his lock without his notice, he heard the sound of a sharp object slicing through the air towards his outstretched hand and quickly moved his arm out of the way. Snapping his eyes towards his attacker, he barely saw the gleam of a blade towards his left, almost completely hidden behind his blind spot, before he instinctively rolled out of the way to dodge what would likely have been a fatal stab.

Light streamed into his dark room from the hallway as he began to make out the figures of two men dressed in black with masks covering their otherwise indistinctive faces. He could feel his heart drumming beneath his ribs as his eyes scanned his surroundings, noting his gloves uselessly lying on the bedside table a little out of reach on his right side. The assassins seemed to have read his thoughts and blocked his way, situating themselves purposefully between Roy and his famed weapons of destruction.

Cursing under his breath, Roy searched the room for useful objects at his disposal while keeping an eye on his attackers as they advanced towards him, most likely lead by a false sense of security at his unarmed state. It would be their downfall to underestimate him, Roy mused as he spotted the small desk and chair neatly tucked a few steps behind him.

Aside from the destructive power of the flames Roy had at his command, he was foremost feared by his peers for his ruse and the rare ease with which he handled otherwise difficult situations. He treated them as if they were mere pebbles along his road to success and the fact greatly unsettled anyone who dared stand in his path. The Flame Alchemist was a remarkably capable man, though admittedly a little narcissistic, and everyone knew that he planned his actions out in excruciating detail.

Now, as he grabbed the back of the chair, he set himself in a crouched position, ready for his opponents' next strike. The assassin on his left must have sensed a change in his demeanor as he suddenly dragged a knife out of its sheath and rushed towards him. With as much speed as he could muster, Roy knocked the man out cold with the old metal chair and clamped his other hand on the small office table, swinging it up to block the second assassin's daggers as they broke through the thin wood.

Quickly taking shelter behind the desk, Roy's lips curled into a grin as he felt the soft leather of his suitcase beneath his palm. He had deliberately left his luggage under the table in front of the bed in order to have a makeshift fort with which he could buy the few seconds he would need to open and seize his second pair of ignition gloves.

Just as he slipped on his right glove, he felt the air above him change and he quickly scrambled out of the way as the second attacker brought his dagger down towards his hiding spot, his blade missing Roy's right eye by a mere inch and instead slashing a shallow gash along his cheek.

Hissing as blood coated his face and slipped down his neck, Roy brought his only gloved hand up to snap when movement towards the door caught his attention as a sharp blade zipped through the air towards his head. Ducking out of the way, he caught sight of a third man entering the room. "Just my luck," he seethed as he dodged another knife thrown his way.

The situation was turning out to be much more difficult than he had planned for and, with one assassin out cold and two still on the ready, things were not looking well. As he rolled around, managing to scrape by without getting hit by the rain of daggers thrown his way, he searched for an opening. He only needed a few moments to snap and end this.

It was then, as if answering his thoughts, that the window rattled in its frame and slammed open with a heavy thud. A sudden beam of bright, blue-tinged light flashed through the room as the gleam of a short blade shone for a second before it vanished from sight. The attackers stood, dumbfounded, as they both stared in the same direction and Roy, seeing the unexpected distraction it caused, took this chance to snap and incapacitate the assassin closest to him. The man went down with an anguished scream, but Roy paid him no attention as he snapped his head towards his remaining opponent, only to find him backed up against the wall with a sharp blade threatening to pierce his neck.

Following the weapon down to its owner, his gaze suddenly took in startling blond hair, let loose as the soft wind blowing through his open window picked up a few golden strands, masking the stranger's face. But Roy knew who it was. After spending so much time analyzing his features and every detail he could remember, it was not difficult to recognize the attractive young man, who currently had his attacker pinned up against the wall and a small movement away from death. There was also the fact that he was wearing what looked like silk, intricately-patterned pajamas. Like the blond's everyday clothing, his nightwear did not look like anything from Amestris.

"What do I do with him?" The man's voice snapped Roy out of his reverie as he focused on the matter at hand. The blond turned his head towards him, his face finally in view as Roy took in the feral gleam in his gold eyes and the alluring way he stood his ground despite the assassin's struggles. While Roy did not know who this man was, for the time being the blond seemed to be on his side.

"One moment," he finally replied in a calm tone, walking back to his suitcase and tugging a pair of handcuffs out of one of its many compartments. He quickly made his way back and caught the blond raising an eyebrow at him, slight amusement reflecting in his eyes as Roy almost laughed. "It's for criminals only," he deemed appropriate to add as the grin on the blond's face only widened. Some people just loved purposefully misunderstanding things, Roy mused as he shook his head and grabbed his assailant's wrists.

With the assassin finally cuffed and unconscious, as dragging a struggling man was much too troublesome, Roy flicked the lamp on and let light flood through the room. Blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted, he walked over to the phone on the bedside table, which had miraculously managed to stay put. Grabbing the receiver, he dialed the number for the police station and gave them a quick account of the situation at hand, leaving out any details tying him to the matter, before hanging up at their confirmation. They would send a few men to pick up the attackers, and Roy planned to leave before then. It always complicated things when the police got involved in military matters, but New Optain was a small town and did not have its own military headquarters. Roy would just have to leave these criminals in their hands.

Turning back towards the young man who had unexpectedly come to his aid, he let a genuine smile slip across his face. "Thank you for your help," Roy said politely and stretched his hand out to him. "My name is Roy Mustang. It's nice to meet you."

The blond returned his handshake and grinned. "No problem," he replied easily before pausing in thought for a short moment. "Just call me Ed," he finally said, tilting his chin up to connect his determined gold eyes with Roy's. For a few seconds, they simply kept their gaze evenly on each other, as if trying to determine what to make of the other. Finally, Ed broke eye contact and nodded to himself, much to Roy's bemusement. He didn't know what thoughts had just passed through the blond's head, but if anything, it seemed he had somehow gained his approval.

"All right," Roy agreed after what felt like a short while and cast a quick glance down at the mess in his room before continuing to speak, but this time with a more professional air to his tone. "Others will be arriving soon, thanks to the disturbance." He tilted his head towards the three men lying unconscious on the floor and opened his mouth to continue when he noticed one of the assassins slightly stir, as if slowly regaining his senses.

Ed seemed to have seen the twitch too and before Roy could snap his fingers or even move, the blond crouched down and threw a heavy-looking punch to the man's jaw, effectively ending his attempts to move. Roy's dark eyes widened at the action, but he quickly smoothed his expression before Ed turned back to face him.

"Got any more handcuffs?" the blond asked merrily as a grin curled his lips again and Roy shook his head, almost feeling bad for ruining Ed's fun at the slight disappointment that flashed through the blond's bright eyes.

"I only carry one pair with me, just in case," he answered quietly and they both looked down to stare at the unbound men on the floor. _'Maybe I could transmute something to keep them in place,'_ Roy debated in his head as he racked his gaze around the room for material he could use.

Roy blinked as he saw Ed strode towards the bed and stare down at the old nightstand before grabbing the small metal lamp on its surface. The blond then made his way towards the victim of his painful-looking punch, from which a distinct sound of bone crushing could be heard when it had landed. Placing the piece of furniture beside the unconscious man, Ed gave a small nod before beginning. With a clap of his hands, blinding blue sparks formed around his palms and shot towards the object on the floor, heating the area around its circumference to searing temperatures. Its original shape melted away, becoming a blur of silver and bronze, and then the whole reaction stopped as suddenly as it had begun. A translucent cloud of dust and steam filled the air, but it soon dissipated to clear the view as what was left of the decaying lamp was now firmly bound across the assassin's hands and feet like prison shackles.

Roy raised an eyebrow, impressed by the display of alchemy. Never in his life had he ever witnessed anyone wield the power with such ease and, had it not been for his presence during the act, he would have had a hard time believing that one could manage to transmute without a circle. It was simply unheard of and yet he was standing beside the man who contradicted these claims.

"Remarkable," Roy breathed, letting a faint note of awe seep into his voice. He kept his eyes on Ed as the blond simply grinned at his compliment before speaking again. "You don't need an array?" He asked when Ed didn't see fit to explain on his own.

Ed shook his head as the grin widened across his lips. "Nope," he replied before clapping his hands again, this time letting the transmutation light take over his right arm, relinquishing the small blade attached to his hand that. Upon closer inspection, Roy noticed that it seemed to be covered in metal.

Outside the room, the sound of feet shuffling across the wooden floor of the inn and doors opening began to fill the hallway. Roy glanced over at the door and frowned. "I don't plan on staying here until the police arrive," he informed Ed, who had also turned to watch the open door. "What about you?" A few moments passed and Ed tilted his head to the side in thought.

"What's going on?" boomed a voice in the corridor. The sound of steps gained volume the closer the inn occupants got. The blond turned his head towards the window he came in from and then at the broken frame, cringing at the distorted shape left behind by his entry. More doors slammed open and voices were heard and he made a decision.

"Let's go."

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

Hughes let out a loud yawn before picking up his phone. Who called so early in the morning anyway?

_"Maes, it's me."_

All tiredness vanished from his face at the sound of that voice. Narrowing his eyes, he glanced up at the wall clock. 5:10 AM. If he remembered correctly, Roy should still be in New Optain following the leads on the alchemic genius. "Is this line secure?" he asked, though he doubted it.

_"No,"_ confirmed Mustang, his voice sounding a little miffed at the fact. _"In any case, we have a code three and I've got company. I'll tell you the details once we get back."_

Light green eyes widened at the news. "Are you taking the direct train to Central?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

_"Yes,"_ was the reply.

Closing his eyes to think, Hughes opened a drawer and pulled out the train schedule. Scanning the sheet, he made a mental note that the earliest train for Central came at six and he would need to prepare all his steps accordingly. "Is your companion a good fighter?" he finally asked, remembering that Roy had mentioned an extra passenger.

_"Yes,"_ Roy answered and he could almost hear a faint hint of pride in his tone. _'Now, that's rare,'_ Hughes mused inwardly, already eager to meet this mysterious figure.

"Then watch your backs," he said finally. He put the schedule back down and took out his car keys. "Chances are you're still in danger. Come straight to office at arrival. I'll look into this."

_"I'm counting on you, Maes,"_ said Mustang, his voice slightly more cheerful than before.

Maes smiled at the small change. "Of course you are." He paused to consider something that made him smirk. "Finally settling down?"

There was a pause. _"What do you mean?" _

"Just curious," laughed Hughes, feeling a little mischievous. "You never bring your conquests back home, you know."

A small crash was heard on the other end as static noise filled the receiver for a second before it cleared. _"W-What? No. I mean… Maes!"_ Roy sputtered.

"Ohh, now _that's_ a reaction I like," purred Hughes, grinning at his friend's stuttering. "I can't wait to meet that special someone."

_"I'm hanging up,"_ Roy grumbled into the phone before he slammed the receiver down with a thud.

Hughes placed his phone down more gently and marched towards the kitchen. Turning on the lights on his way, he grabbed a pen and paper off the counter and turned towards the breakfast table. He took a moment to decide what to write before he jotted down a note for his wife. Moving the nearby cookie jar onto the sheet to ensure it stood out, he stretched. He would call home to check up on things a little later during the day, but for now, this would do.

Nodding to himself, he grabbed his coat off the kitchen chair and stepped towards the door.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

"Well, that's nice," Ed said cheerfully as he plopped down onto one of the many benches across the platform of the rundown train station. They were a little early for the first train, but since neither of them had felt the need to sleep, especially with the adrenaline rush of the fight against the assassins still pumping through their veins, they chose to patiently wait for it. It would arrive, assuming it wouldn't be late, in a little more than half an hour, which shouldn't be that bad. Or so Ed thought.

Glancing up at Roy, he watched the dark haired man gently slide his suitcase beneath the bench before he took a seat beside him. A small leaf was poking out of his blue military coat, but the man didn't seem to have noticed and Ed didn't feel like pointing it out. In fact, he found it funny how it was stuck on his very formal uniform and completely out of place. It made Roy look less intimidating and Ed strangely liked that.

After subtlety making their way out of the inn, they had taken some time to slip on their coats, or a vibrantly colored cloak in Ed's case, to keep warm before walking should have been a short walk from their location to the train station, but with the bustle of activity resulting from their little escapade, they were forced to trek through the small woods towards their destination instead of using the conventional road. Hence the leaf stuck to Roy's clothes.

It was not that Ed thought they did anything wrong, aside from the broken window and lamp, but he did not want to deal with the police or any prying eyes from curious passersby. He hadn't exactly thought things through when he decided to join this whole mess, but then again, since when did he ever do just that?

Shaking his head, he checked the time on the nearby clock hung on the station wall and grumbled. If only he had something to read other than the old alchemy book in his bag, he thought with a sigh. He had gone over the familiar yellowing pages more times than he cared to recall and was in desperate need of new books.

Turning his head towards his companion, he found Roy deep in thought and decided to watch the small bits of emotions that flashed through the other man's dark eyes from time to time.

It seemed that they were both headed towards Central, which Ed had discovered during their short conversation while strolling through the woods. He had also been surprised when Roy had guessed that he was not from Amestris, mostly because Ed was sure that he had made an effort to blend in. He hadn't studied all those books about Amestrian customs and culture for nothing, after all. It hadn't occurred to him how differently the Amestrians would dress, though.

He had learned that Roy was a brigadier general which, if Ed remembered correctly from his readings on Amestris, was three ranks away from the top. _'Nice,'_ the blond had thought, especially considering Roy's age, which he had guessed to be around in the early thirties.

Another thing he noticed was the way the taller man always seemed to react accordingly in any situation. He hadn't known him for long, but Ed could tell when someone lived behind a mask and Roy's was one of the most impressive ones he'd seen so far. It was as if he had complete control over his emotions, which intrigued the blond quite a bit. He usually didn't pay too much attention to these details, mostly because it was none of his business, but something about Roy simply attracted his attention.

Maybe it was the soft-looking texture of his short ebony hair or the intelligent gleam in his onyx eyes whenever he chose to speak a few well placed words. He kept his composure at all times and thought things through with great detail, very much unlike Ed himself. For his part, he was usually quite content with following what his instincts told him. Despite often letting his emotions get the better of him, years of living within the walls of the royal Xaltian palace had taught him better control. He still slipped from time to time, but causing havoc was simply something he did.

Now, as they both continued to wait for the first train in the empty train station, a few rays of red-tinted light began to shine across the platform, coloring the thin wood of the floor as the sun rose in the sky. Ed could almost feel the warmth wash over his skin and sighed at the sensation. Pulling his bag up onto his lap, he dug his hand inside and pulled a heavy tome out of its clutch. He might as well read his book for the hundredth time instead of staring off into empty space.

Dropping his bag back down onto the ground, he opened his book, but took a second to glance over at Roy again. The man was still deep in thought, which made Ed slightly curious as to what had him so pensive. Before he could return to his book, however, Roy looked over towards the blond and their eyes met.

"So how was your time in New Optain?" the raven-haired man asked with a casual air to his tone, breaking the silence between them.

"The town was nice," Ed said after a while and closed his book with a thud. "I just didn't find what I was looking for." At the curious look in Roy's eyes, he went on, "No decent libraries."

Roy let a small frown mare his brows. "Really? I was sure they had a nice little collection here."

Ed stared at him for a second and then let a smirk curl his lips. "Is that what you do in your spare time?"

Roy grinned back at him with humor gleaming through his eyes. "Of course not," he supplied mischievously. "Why would I when I can have the real thing at any time?"

The blond almost rolled his eyes as he remembered their first encounter and how Roy had the counter lady practically flaunting herself at him. "So you're a complete womanizer?" he teased almost candidly.

"Wrong," Roy shot back, his grin still in place. "That would imply that I do not treat them with respect."

Ed let a small chuckle escape his lips and raised an eyebrow at the man. "So I'm to believe that you do?"

Roy feigned a shocked expression. "Of course," he replied theatrically, pride coating his voice.

Ed shook his head, amused in spite of himself. He understood to a certain degree that Roy meant what he had said, for it was exactly what Reyhan did. Both men probably only entered consensual relationships that were meant to last a short while, if not only one night. While Ed did not share this interest of theirs, he had nothing against it. It was their choice anyway. He shrugged and raised his gaze towards the bright morning sky as the night slowly melted away.

This trip had already been more eventful than he had predicted it to be, but maybe it was fine that way. And maybe Ed actually liked it better now that he had Roy by his side.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Reviews keep me happy! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: **Thank you for all the favourites and story/author alerts, I'm glad so many people are interested in what's to happen next. I do feel the need to mention that I'd much rather hear from you guys, such as what you think or what your predictions are. It keeps me motivated and on track :)

So anyway, here's my replies to those who took the time to comment (thank you!):

Pixie101: I think I'd love to meet Envy and Lust, but I won't risk angering them! I don't think I'm ready to die just yet ^^

Ougui: Yes he does! I'm glad you noticed that :P It was like a subtle hint that there was much more RoyEd to come~

Mashfan4life: Ed loves books and I agree that it's quite an awesome hobby. Thanks for the compliment on the action scenes! I don't often write them, so I'm really happy that you found them well done :D

Animemad10: Thank you and I gladly accept this review! XD It's very nice of you and yes, I will definitely continue this story :)

0-Yumenoyuki-0: Happy to know it's more intriguing! The first version had a faster pace and I sometimes felt like it lacked detail. Hence, I rewrote it XD Thank you for reviewing, I really appreciate it :)

Sana Hima Mae: Thank you for the compliment! That was very nice of you :D And wait no longer, for the next chapter is out! (right below lol)

Unbetaed Version

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

While patience was a trait Roy had learned to master, for the most part, after years in the military, it didn't seem like Ed shared much of that discipline.

It wasn't obvious, but the small twitches in his eyebrows or the slight tap of his right foot were clear indicators of his impatience. It was nothing major and Roy certainly didn't mind. In fact, he found it amusing.

What he didn't find as humorous, however, was that the train, or rather the people operating it, seemed to have decided to be late. And not by a few minutes, as was usual for small towns like New Optain. Glancing up at the clock hanging upon the station wall, Roy noted that the vehicle should have arrived two hours ago.

Of course, he had called Hughes to inform him of the news of the delay in their plans. It wasn't ideal, for it would leave him exposed to danger for a longer period of time, but the only transportation to Central was by train. Hughes considered sending a car over, but it would take more time than necessary, so they decided to wait one more hour before taking that option as a last choice scenario.

It had been quite early when they'd arrived at the station, but with time, a few citizens had begun pilling up on the platform, some frustrated at the wait and others having fallen asleep on one of the numerous benches due to the early hour. Roy scanned the area and concluded that most were either businessmen or families out for a trip to the city. He still kept an eye out for suspicious movements, but he doubted that whoever was after him would attack in such a crowded place.

A shift beside him caught his attention and he glanced down at Ed, who now had his arms folded across his chest, but whose expression was more alert than before. Just as he was about to ask, the blond stood up and grabbed his bag. The sound of a whistle soon filled the place as the ground shook harder with each passing second. A few seconds later, the train became visible not too far away and was quickly approaching where they stood.

The people around the platform began to gather their belongings while others rubbed the sleep out of their eyes. It was not long before the train came to a stop before the crowd as attendants opened the doors to let the citizens in.

Roy grabbed his suitcase and stepped up to an attendant, Ed following closely behind him. The stranger took one look at Mustang's uniform before his eyes zeroed in on his military badge, which had a wide yellow stripe centered between two narrow lines that showed his rank as a Brigadier General. Quickly offering to take Roy's baggage, the attendant showed them to a private room down the hall before bowing and taking his leave.

Ed quirked an eyebrow at the whole scene, but said nothing and instead took the first chance he got to take over the luxurious bed by the wall. Setting his bag down by his side, the blond sighed into the covers and snuggled his face into a nicely fluffed pillow.

"Enjoying yourself?" Roy smirked and Ed lift his head off the bed to childishly stick his tongue out at him. "I see you like my bed," the General added, just to tease the blond some more.

"S'not bad," Ed mumbled back before his amber-tinted eyes found Roy's own, "a lot better than train benches." He then shrugged his coat off and kicked his boots onto the floor below.

Roy gave him a small understanding smile before pulling his coat off while grabbing Ed's and hanging them up on a nearby coat hanger. He then took his boots off and neatly placed them against the wall. Walking over to the bed, he moved Ed's bag to the bedside table and sat down next to him. The blond rolled over to face him and Roy let a small smile stretch the corner of his lips.

"M'not moving, if that's what you want," Ed told him and spread his arms out across the bed, just to prove his point. He eyed the other man with a challenging gleam in his eyes, clearly amused and slightly hyper with the lack of sleep.

Roy smirked at the blond before lying down, disregarding Ed's indignant squawk, "Hey!", and stole a pillow from the smaller man's side of the bed. "That's all right," he said in a mocking tone. "You barely take up any space."

Edward gawked at him for a second before puffing his cheeks and frowning at the man. Roy watched, amused, as the blond tried to think up a good comeback, but kept on falling short at the last minute. Finally, Ed gave up and turned around to face the wall, grumbling something under his breath.

The General let a small chuckle escape his lips at his new found companion. It could have been the lack of sleep talking, but he had never felt so relaxed with someone he'd just met before. Shaking his head, he looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He never had a problem physically sharing moments of passion with complete strangers in random bars, but he never really felt comfortable with them. Once his desires satisfied, it was the end of the road for whomever it concerned and he simply left it at that.

With Ed, however, he felt truly relaxed and, despite their brief acquaintance, he was comfortable enough around him to exchange silly banter, something he rarely did with anyone except with his close friends. And what more, maybe this was all for the best, Roy thought with a slight smile. After all, he was fairly certain that Ed might be just what he was searching for. It was not every day that one met such a talented alchemist.

From his left side, Roy could feel a slight dipping in the bed as Ed shifted into a more comfortable position. He watched on as the blond pulled the blankets up to his chin and snuggled into them. A few minutes passed and before long, the rise and fall of Ed's chest lessened as his breathing stabilized. Roy waited a few more seconds to make sure the blond was asleep.

Carefully shifting his weight to the side of the bed, Roy stood up and strode to the deep crimson curtains of the room. Pulling them close, he walked back to bed and pulled the blankets up to his chest before resting his head against the soft pillow.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Ed shuffled around, slightly groaning as he felt his mind wake and lose the sweet haziness he'd previously enjoyed. His body snuggled deeper into the warn cocoon wrapped around his lean frame and he tried, in vain, to fall back asleep.

Still as stubborn as ever, the blond refused to get up and instead pulled the blankets to his side, tightening his hold on the soft material. Just as he attempted to lull himself back to sleep, his back brushed against a hard yet warm surface and his eyes snapped open at the touch. Quickly heaving himself off the soft mattress, he turned his head towards what his dreamy state imagined as a hot furnace and stared down at Mustang's sleeping face.

Ed's first reaction was to squash the panic rising within his chest and after a few moments of deep breaths, he connected his gold eyes once again on the dark figure beside him. Memories from a few hours ago came back to him in a rush of colorful images; his fight against the assassins, the long wait for the train, their playful conversations. He then looked down at himself and noted that he'd slept with his hair still braided, but that he still wore his pyjamas from the night before. _'No wonder it felt comfortable,'_ he thought wearily, still not quite awake despite the little surprise.

Looking up at the well decorated room he was currently occupying, he noted the darkness of the area and the slight shake of the curtains covering the only window. From the crack between the fabrics, a small amount of light streamed through the opening and illuminated the room just enough for Ed to make out the shapes and color of each object.

The train still kept its course towards Central and the constant vibrations caused by its movement reminded Ed of where he was headed. Without it, he might have really thought that he was in a stranger's house and in a way, the slight shaking actually calmed him.

Bringing his hands up to rub the sleep out of his tired eyes, Ed slowly sat up and pulled the covers off his legs before dumping them on the body next to him. Mustang slightly groaned at the extra weight, but otherwise seemed to have not noticed the change.

Glancing down at Roy's peaceful-looking face, Ed wondered if the man was really asleep. Smiling mischievously, he searched him for any signs, hoping to spot a small twitch or maybe a pool of drool on the side of his lips. Ed chuckled at his own imaginings, but was disappointed when he found that the man looked just as proper and pristine in his sleep as when he was awake. _'Who looks so perfect in their sleep anyway?'_ Ed thought and almost frowned in frustrated until his eyes landed on the man's dark ebony hair that had been ruffled by the pillow he lay on. Roaming his gaze across the soft-looking strands, he noted the disorderly pattern in which they lay on the bed, promising the raven-haired man a very nice bed head.

Smirking at his new finding, Ed brought his hands up to his own golden locks and felt the urge to preen his appearance, mostly to greaten the contrast when Roy finally decided to wake up. Nodding to himself, the blond slowly lift himself up and carefully crawled over the sleeping man as quietly as he could. When his feet finally touched the ground, he quickly glanced back down at Roy, who seemed to have slept through the whole ordeal.

Without a second to waste, Ed tiptoed his way to the private washroom connected to the room. Finally making his way to it, he closed the small door behind him before opening the lights. As the brightness flooded the small space, Ed squinted to see through the sudden light before suddenly feeling a sharp blade touch the back of his neck, the slight pressure seeping blood as a fresh drop fell to the floor.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Roy cracked an eye open as he felt Ed shift and climb out of bed. Hearing the sound of feet softly paddling away towards the other end of the room, he carefully turned to face the blond, watching him make his way to the washroom. The door was soon dragged open and closed as light flooded through the small crack beneath the door.

If he looked carefully, Roy could make out the shadows of Ed's feet fade as the blond walked further away from the door, but he decided to stop watching from there on. After all, it was of no interest if he couldn't actually see the other man's striking features.

Turning his head towards the ceiling, Roy stared up at the ornate lamp hanging on the low wall of the train. He slowly blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the dimness of the room and pulled the blankets up to his chin, now that he had more access to them. In the back of his mind, he wondered how Ed managed to take up most of the covers despite being a head shorter than Roy himself. It was not that the blond was deficient in height in any way, but the bed was fairly large and so were the blankets. It really should have been sufficient for at least three men, but Ed had, probably unconsciously, pulled it all his way in the space of a few hours.

Roy still remembered the feeling of a slight tug on the covers that had first roused him from his light sleep. His first instinct was to lift his gloved hands up, ready to snap. He then looked sideways to the sleeping blond next to him and almost laughed at the way Ed had wrapped himself between the layers of fabric. Without much thought, Roy relented what was left of the covers and draped it around the blond, just to complete the picture. He peered down at the young alchemist and noted the reduced distance between them, most probably due to Ed's rolling around and quest for more warmth.

Closing his eyes again, Roy relaxed against the soft mattress and lay his head down on the feather pillow he'd taken from the pile on Ed's side. The one he'd grabbed earlier that day was not high enough for Roy's neck and he figured that the blond wouldn't miss one pillow. Frankly, he was sure Ed didn't even need the five on his side of the bed.

Smirking at the thought of Ed noticing the change, Roy wasn't prepared when he heard the deafening sound of a gun firing very close to where he lay. Jolting out of bed, he quickly ran over to the washroom, where the sound originated, and pressed his back against the wall closest to its door. Holding the knob in one hand, he raised the other, his fingers ready to snap at any time. Taking a deep breath, he willed his racing heart to calm as fear rushed through his veins, fear of losing something he felt could be precious.

Without another second to waste, Roy slammed the door open and entered the room, only to be blinded by a wave of electric blue light streaming from inside. Bringing his left arm up to block his eyes from the brightness, he quickly assessed the situation and spotted Ed, who was standing near the sink with a silver blade protruding from his right arm. The air suddenly felt heavy against his skin as white dust gathered around the room, but Roy ignored it and searched the room for the intruder.

The light slowly died down and he noticed a masked man struggling to free himself from large metal bindings that were still too blurry from the flying dust to clearly identify. Bringing his gloved hand up in the man's direction, Roy snapped his fingers and dislodged the man's gun from his free hand, the weapon having been pointed at Ed just a few seconds before.

Walking forward towards the masked intruder, Roy kicked the gun away and finally took a good look at the large hand-shaped straps that trapped the man to the wall above the toilet seat. Quirking an eyebrow at the intricate details in the sculpted limbs, Roy turned his gaze towards Ed, who had followed right behind him to where the assassin-to-be struggled.

"You transmuted that?" asked Roy, somewhat impressed by the detail in Ed's work.

The blond looked up at him and grinned. "What can I say?" he knocked on the metal sculpture, ignoring the angry growls emitted from the trapped stranger. "It's art," he finally said, nodding in approval to his own work.

Roy couldn't help but chuckle at the blond's smug expression. "Must be worth quite a lot," he played along, his dark eyes sparking with mirth. "Well, minus that," he pointed at the masked man as if he were a smudge on a new shirt, "it would ruin the effect, you see."

Ed nodded, his gaze kept comically serious. "I agree," he declared with authority, hitting the hired assassin across the head and ignoring the man's cry of pain. "It's too noisy and should be disposed of," he continued and the intruder paled at the statement.

Roy smiled, his expression nearing on mischievous, "I suggest we torture it before that."

Ed's bright gold eyes almost twinkled at the idea.

"Brilliant."

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

A gentle knock sounded against the door as a soft voice interrupted the activity inside the busy room, "is everything all right, sir?"

Roy glanced down at Ed who paused before nodding back. It seemed that the attendants had finally built up the courage to interrogate them on the matter.

Deliberately taking his time, Roy strode to the door and cracked it open slightly, but not enough to see the inside of the room.

"Yes, everything is fine," he told the other man, a pleasant smile on his lips.

The attendant peered up at the General, clearly intimidated but not very convinced. Trying to stall for time to hopefully get an answer out of the other man, he added a quiet "are you sure?", but quickly gave up at the resulting Mustang® glare. Bowing his head in haste, the man scrambled away in fear as Roy watched him leave before closing the door.

"Is this good enough?" asked Ed curiously as Roy turned his gaze towards the blond and his second work of…arguably "art". Peering down at the piece, his eyes took in the second metal contraption Ed had built that day: it was similar in design to the first one, where the victim was trapped under bands of metal, but that was where the similarities ended. Instead of large metallic hands, the now unconscious assassin was stuck under layers of horse statues, each one bent around the intruder's limbs. It was very detailed and frankly quite impressive, but Roy couldn't help frowning at the horses, especially the one with flames carved around its tail with little horse tailored gloves on its hooves.

"You like it?" added Ed, having a hard time restraining his laughter at the sour expression on Roy's face. The allusion did not go unnoticed, it seemed.

Shaking his head at the blond's silly tribute to his last name, Roy decided to play along and crossed his arms. "Unfortunately," he began, pausing to clear his throat. "I believe this one was a waste of talent."

Ed stopped attempted to stifle his chuckles and cocked his head to the side innocently, "so you admit that I'm a genius?"

"I'm calling your work crap."

"That's alright," the blond finally laughed. "You still think it's brilliant!"

Roy lift his hand up to rub his temples as he watched Ed crack up, laughing so hard he had to hold onto the wall to keep balance. It really wasn't his day today, it seemed. First the train was late and now another assassination attempt, though maybe they were related, who knew? Roy was too tired to mull it through, but he kept his mind open to the possibility.

Beside him, Ed was now on the floor, clutching his stomach as he pound the ground with his fist in laughter. A metallic gleam caught Roy's eyes every time Ed waved his right arm and he finally took note of the small metallic blade connected to the alchemist's arm that he had noticed earlier. Following the weapon with his gaze, the General made a visual sweep of the blond before his eyes stopped at a spot of red right beneath the blond's jaw.

Attempting to take a closer look, Roy kneeled next to the guffawing alchemist and not too gently grabbed his right arm. Ed paused, slightly out of breath, and looked up at Roy curiously. He didn't pull his arm away, but instead watched him with rapt interest, his gold eyes wide with questions.

Bringing Ed's hand up to his knee, Roy took a quick glance at the blade before eyeing the small wound marring the blond's neck. It wasn't too big, but blood was still pooling around the open slit that already began to swell. "I'll get the kit," he said and stood up to walk towards the washroom.

He felt Ed's gaze on his back as he retrieved the first aid kit from the broken counter next to the destroyed sink. He lift his eyes and surveyed the mess they'd left in the room, but only shrugged before making his way back. It was nothing a little damage control couldn't fix. Hughes would have a field day taking care of it once they got back.

o-O-o-O-o-O-o

Ed watched Roy kneel back down again and open the white box the man called a "first aid kit". Before taking anything out, the General calmly pulled off his ignition gloves and replaced them by a pair of thin disposable gloves that he found at the bottom of the kit.

"Very professional," Ed whistled and grinned when Roy quirked an eyebrow at him. He'd been confused, at first, as to why Roy had looked so concerned before, but it didn't take long for him to catch on. He didn't really feel it anymore, but Ed was sure that the wound on his neck probably wasn't very pretty.

As he watched Roy take out a small bottle of disinfectant and a pile of gauze pads, Ed let his gaze wander across the room and pause at the unconscious man on the floor. The assassin was still out cold, wrapped and imprisoned by Ed's little horse-filled creation. They hadn't even gotten to torturing him that he had fainted on them, much to the blond's disappointment. While he knew that Roy was only joking, he was sure the man would have allowed him a kick or two and maybe a nice punch to the gut. After all, the guy had tried to kill him. It was only fair.

Nonetheless, they had decided to simply tie the intruder down in plain sight instead of leaving him in the washroom, in case one of his companions came to rescue him. The room was no longer safe and they needed to stay together and alert. At least, until they arrive at Central.

Ed was pulled out of his thoughts as a sharp stinging sensation plundered his neck. "Be gentle!" he growled, hissing at the pain.

Roy smirked at him before dabbing at his wound a few more times. "I'm returning the favor," he said simply and pointed at his own cheek that Ed had not too gently taken care of a few hours before. It had been before they'd arrived at the train station. Roy had a small slash across his right cheek from the previous fight and Ed had offered to help. Stopping at a public washroom, he'd grabbed some paper and wet it before scrubbing Roy's face, ignoring the man's hisses. Hence, it was now time for payback. Ed sighed at the injustice.

Finally done with his painful cleaning, Roy grabbed a gauze pad and the surgical tape. Fixing the whole onto the tanned skin of Ed's neck, he stopped the blond from standing up and snagged the black marker out from the kit. Ed's eyes widened at the sight and, before he could react, Roy had already drawn something he couldn't see on his bandages and across his neck. Slapping him across the back with a satisfied smile, Roy stood and pretended to dust away imaginary dust from his sleeves.

"Just so you know," Roy began, his smile turning more mischievous with each passing second, "the mirror's broken."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** What do you think Roy wrote across Ed's neck? And yes, it was a permanent marker :) Here's a hint: it's only one word and it's something Ed's probably struggled with all childhood long. I'll dedicate the next chapter to all those who guess it right. Good luck! :)


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